Another Day Getting Better
Another day has come and I have been trying to get someone to call me back at the surgeon's office. How many messages shall I leave?
Still doesn't want to eat and is nauseated. I tried to empty the contents of the drainage bag. It leaked out everywhere and I can't measure puddles on the floor. The smell triggers a gag reflex. Still no pain meds, nothing for nausea and all he wants to do is sleep all day, then complain that he can't sleep at night. Then to make everything worse, the promised rain storm is beating down. All I want are the tools needed to care for him. I don't mind cleaning up all the necessary messes and taking care of him. I think he can heal better at home, but this is ridiculous.
When the lady of the house is upset, the house cannot function properly! The Patient may have been joking when he said we should sell our current home and move. He says we need to move closer to a major medical center.
I think we need to move across the street from a hospital and install a zip-line from the roof of the house to the entrance of the hospital. Don't worry about mountain views and peace and quiet, just cozy up to a hospital.
I was sorely disappointed that our nurse practioner did not return my call on Thursday. The office in Hiawassee is closed on Friday, so after no call back on Thursday I figured there would be no call back.
She called me Friday evening and had some suggestions to help with the nausea. She was disgusted with the poor service in the ER that left me dealing with the drainage bag. She called the pharmacy and ordered nausea meds, pain meds and told me to get some probiotics to help his gut get back to a more normal state.
So, today I will be off to pick up all the meds and whatever the man says he will try to eat. Yesterday he wanted dressing. Like dressing from Thanksgiving. I didn't go to a whole lot of effort, but I did produce a reasonable dressing from dressing mix and chicken broth. He ate a few bites, then drank the Ensure. I force him to eat something before his meds. I make a lot of toast and he will eat about half. Last night, I hit the jackpot! He ate an entire piece of toast with peanut butter. The most he has eaten since this began.
My coffee is almost gone and I am procrastinating. I need to go out and clear my windsheild of snow and be on my way to Walmart. I am assuming all the roads are clear. No more wasting time!
The more I read about this, the madder I get. Seems like those people don't even care if he lives or dies.
ReplyDeleteIt does appear that once out of the hospital, he is no longer their concern.
DeleteI hope the meds are good for what ails HeWho, and that your trip to get them is uneventful. The Rule of Even Steven says you are due.
ReplyDeleteIt was a nice trip. I was alone and able to take care of everything without having to hunt The Patient down. The pain pills, exactly the same ones I picked up at the ill fated trip to Walgreens were $1.19. Walgreens charged me over $14. The cash pay price with no insurance at Walmart was a little over $5. Thank you Even Steven!
DeleteI hope that soon all these issues will be distant memories.
ReplyDeleteFortunately, the bad memories fade pretty fast as The Patient gets better.
DeleteMy husband swears he will never leave suburbia for the country or beach because of the close proximity to decent hospitals. But still medical care is questionable even at the big institutions. I sure hope your mand starts eating. Nursinghome told us about his aunt that she could not heal because she did eat enough protein. Who knows? You have surely had your share. Prayers lifted.
ReplyDeleteIt was two distinctly different experiences in such a short period of time. The hospital in Atlanta was so different. The staff was excellent, the food was good and view from the room window was gorgeous. While all that is nice, it was the care he recieved. I think the doctor sets the tone. Dr. Ross was so good about explaining everything to both of us. The first vist to his room after the surgery on his leg, he flipped the blanket off his feet and told me to come see how warm my husband's foot was! So pretty and pink with the renewed circulation. This man loves his job and it trickles down to the staff caring for his patients.
DeleteKathy I have been in your shoes many times but never had the frustrating lack of help. The illness is enough to deal with. I hope you can get him back on his feet without more fighting.
ReplyDeleteIt was particularly hard for me, not having close friends close by, not to mention my children. My son would have come in a heart beat had I asked and he agonized over not being able to help me. He is working three different jobs right now and is in the thick of it. I told him to stay home. My youngest daughter would have driven the hospital staff quite mad. She is no push over! But, I did it!
DeleteI am lucky to live in a small town in a rural county but within a half hour of an excellent medical facility. I don't usually try and call when I have a question but use the patient portal online. They generally answer within two days or sooner. But then I'm not in your situation. I wonder how much living in a republican controlled state has to do with the quality of the medical community. Maybe try giving him just a little to eat every couple of hours?
ReplyDeleteGeorgia is definitely Republican and we are not famous or rich .... We use the patient portal as well, but my needs were more urgent than a 2 day wait. He is eating now and I am ignoring him to make him get up and do things for himself. He needs motivation to get up and move!
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